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Rep. Ron Simmons says his only hope is to find legislation on its way to the House floor that he could tack the bathroom bill on as an amendment.

AUSTIN – Barring a late-session lucky break, the House author of the so-called bathroom bill said Friday that the special session will end with no action in the lower chamber on the year’s most controversial legislation.

“I am not giving up hope until the gavel falls to end the (special) session, but the chances are very slim,” said state Rep. Ron Simmons, the Denton County Republican who is carrying the measure already passed by the Texas Senate.

Simmons said that with the session ending next week, there is no time to pass the measure as is. Instead, his only hope is to find a piece of legislation on its way to the House floor that he could tack the bathroom bill on as an amendment.

“I am not giving up hope until the gavel falls to end the (special) session, but the chances are very slim.”

State Rep. Ron Simmons

Finding a viable vehicle appears to me a monumental challenge, he acknowledged. Most of those that could carry the measure and still remain within the parliamentary rules of the House are already dead or dying, Simmons said.

The measure, Senate Bill 3, would require that the use of multi-stall restrooms and changing rooms in government buildings be determined based on people’s gender listed on birth records.

Proponents have said the measure protects privacy, especially for women and girls. Opponents say it is a discriminatory tactic aimed at transgender people.

Texas business and tourism organization stoutly oppose the bill on grounds that it would put Texas at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace. Big city police officials have also come out against it.

One of the leading organizations supporting the bill, Texas Values, was still lobbying House members on Friday, hoping to pressure Speaker Joe Straus to drop his opposition and allow the chamber to make an up-or-down vote.

John C. Moritz covers Texas government and politics for the USA Today Network in Austin. Contact him at John.Moritz@caller.com and follow him on Twitter @JohnnieMo.